Not As It Seems
by The Minion Of Darkness
Summary: Not everything is as it seems. What if Clarkson wasn't Maxon's father? What if Shalom wasn't just a rebel? What if Amberly was still alive? This has the answer to all these and more. Multiple POV.
1. Chapter 1

~Maxon's P.O.V.~

A year had passed since my marriage to America, and Illéa was prospering. The castes were finally almost dissolved. The population was preparing for the celebration of our anniversary, which was taking place this evening.

Tightening my tie, I felt America's arms slip around my chest in a backward hug. I turned so I could return the embrace, holding her tightly to me.

"Happy anniversary, my dear," I mumbled with a grin. After three years, the inside joke was still running. She poked me in the gut and looked up at me.

"Your Royal Husbandness, I'm afraid you've mistaken my name," she replied in a regal voice. I loved how much she'd grown into being queen. She was still stubborn and hesitant, but she had learned in the past year how to control her emotions. And it made her more beautiful, if that were ever possible.

"Well then, Your Majesty, please accept my deepest apologies," I said with an exaggerated bow. She giggled.

"I shall have to get back to you on whether or not your apology is accepted." Her face was turning red as she tried to hold back her laughter, but we both started laughing when I brushed the ticklish spot on her neck. When we finally calmed down, I spoke again.

"Maybe Your Majesty's mind would be made up if I did this…" Leaning down, I kissed my beautiful wife, amazed at the perfection that was the past year.

And the door opened. Pulling away, America turned to face the intruder.

"Marlee, you really must fix your timing. It's terrible."

"Sorry, America," she chuckled. "But you have to get ready. See, Maxon's all ready. But you, still in the same gown I left you in, with only half an hour now to get something done with that hair."

America sighed. "Fine. Go call in my maids." As Marlee left, America faced me again. With a peck on the cheek, she walked off toward her suite, calling out, "Apology accepted."


	2. Chapter 2

~Apollo's P.O.V.~

_America sighed. "Fine. Go call in my maids." As Marlee left, America faced Maxon again. With a peck on the cheek, she walked off toward her suite, calling out, "Apology accepted."_

As the queen of Illéa walked away, I heard Zeus walking up behind me. I waved my hand over the bowl and the image disappeared. Turning around, I faced the king of the gods.

"Good evening, Zeus. How may I help you?" I prompted. I caught his gaze on my reflection bowl, and I wished it away.

"You were watching her again, weren't you, Apollo?" Zeus asked. Nodding, I faced the floor.

"If you hadn't forced me to return, Zeus, I wouldn't have to watch her. I would still be there with her. For once in my existence, I wanted to have a family that I knew loved me. I had a mortal wife, Zeus. And five beautiful children, and a granddaughter, that you made me abandon! I missed my daughter's marriage, and now she's the queen! My daughter is a queen! And I can't even tell her how much I love her." My hands were flying in rage as I yelled at my king. Then the anger faded, and all I felt was a lonely emptiness.

Zeus sighed. "I know you miss them, Apollo. But you were a god playing mortal, and that just doesn't work. You had to come home before they realized anything unusual. I'm sorry."

"Yes, I totally believe you're sorry," I sneered. "Because you've tried loving your children before, haven't you? Of course not! You're more worried about the women than the children! Just look at your son down there! Look at what he went through because he wasn't Clarkson's son! Do you even care?" I turned away in disgust. Zeus's reply caught me by surprise.

"I do care. And that is why I suppressed Maxon's powers until the prophecy was ready to take place. I wanted him to live a normal mortal life, and though he has gone through much pain, he has grown into a wonderful man, without my interference. Apollo, I do care, but I prefer to care from a distance."

"Alright. I trust you this time. Do you want me to set the prophecy in motion? All you need to do is visit Amberly and send her back to the palace. I can do the rest."

Zeus paused a moment, thinking. Then he replied.

"Yes. Let it begin."


	3. Chapter 3

~Amberly's P.O.V.~

I was dead. I remembered shoving my way between the gun and Clarkson. I remembered the bullet going through my skull. I remembered feeling my life slip away into blackness..

Then suddenly, a face came into focus in front of me. And the night from eighteen years ago came back to me.

It was Zeus, king of the Greek gods, and my only son's father. He had brought me back from the edge of death, because, as he explained it, I was important to the events coming in the future of Illéa. He told me that I would have to give up my appearance in order to return to the land of the living, and he asked me where I would be able to wait for the time I was needed.

It didn't take long for me to tell him about my sister, Adele. I suggested that I appear as a child, which would appeal more to her, and he agreed. We spent some time watching Maxon through a reflection bowl, as he called it, and then Zeus said it was time to go.

After explaining what I wished to look like, I closed my eyes. A fierce fire flew through my limbs as I became a child. Then it was done, and I was in an alley in Honduragua, where I hadn't been for years.

When I was no longer dizzy, I stepped out, looking like an eight, and asked for directions. A kind old man pointed me up the road to where my sister and her family lived, and handed me a cookie, "for having such lovely manners."

It took about half an hour to reach the large house I remembered purchasing for her. By the time I reached the gates, the sun was low in the sky, and the air had turned cool. I was glad Honduragua stayed so warm in January, because I only wore a thin dress.

Knocking demurely on the front door, I took a deep breath and adjusted to my significantly higher voice. When my niece, Rosalind, opened the door, I began to speak.

"Excuse me, miss, but I was wondering if I could find work here?" It came out sounding like a squeak, compared to the voice I was used to. The door was shut in my face, and I heard shouting from inside.

"Mommy! There's a little girl who wants to work here outside!" It didn't take long for my sister to open the door, my youngest nephew on her hip. I spoke quickly before she could get a word in.

"I urgently need to speak with you, ma'am. Please. And alone, if you can."

She looked confused, but still beckoned me in. Handing the child off to a maid, she motioned toward a room to the side.

"I usually only use this room for tea with the queen, but it will have to do for now," she told me once the door was shut.

Smiling up at her, I replied, "No worries, Adele. It's being used exactly how it usually is. Except there seems to be a lack of tea…"


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I had a lot of free time tonight, so I'm posting as many chapters as possible. Maybe I should be rewarded for such kindness… Maybe with reviews? Thanks! I'm shooting for ten, and the ones by Silver Penumbra don't count… Is that okay? Good.**

~Adele's P.O.V.~

"_No worries, Adele. It's being used exactly how it usually is. Except there seems to be a lack of tea…"_

I couldn't move. This child, who had to be about seven years old, was claiming to be my baby sister, who was dead at thirty-nine.

"Explain yourself, child. Queen Amberly has been dead for three years. You cannot claim to be her, especially when there is no similarity."

The girl sat neatly, smoothing her skirt beneath her as she settled. It unnerved me how postured she was for such a young girl. She pulled her hair back, and then she looked me in the eye.

"How should I convince you, Adele, that I am indeed your sister? Maybe this will work…" She proceeded to share many memories of my past with me, things only Amberly would know, secrets I only ever told her. Tears rolled down my face as I stared at the strange form that was now my dead sister alive.

"Oh, Amberly! I've missed you so much!" I cried, rushing over to embrace the girl. "How are you here? Why are you not the same?" I was so confused, but I cared so much more about just having my sister back.

"It's getting late. Why don't you put your children to bed, and we shall talk after that?" Amberly suggested. Rising, I hugged her again and rushed out the door.

In the end, I had to believe her. It was such complete nonsense, that it had to be accepted, or I would go insane trying to understand it all.

So there we sat, late in the night, making small chat to pass time until we dozed off.

"I can't believe I missed three years!" Amberly said. "Who did Maxon choose? I remember it was just America and Kriss left, but the rebels attacked before he announced anything."

And so I explained to her how Maxon took a bullet for America, and how he proposed to her shortly after, and their grand wedding a year ago. I told her about the celebration the following night for their anniversary, and how I would be flying in first thing the next day.

"Adele, would you please take me with you?" she asked hopefully. "I want to see my home again. And my son, and my…" her voice cracked, "my daughter-in-law."

She looked so miserable at the thought of not seeing them. I couldn't say no, not to my baby sister.

"Amberly, don't worry. I would never leave you behind." And I meant it.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you guys so much! This is my first fanfiction, and I love seeing how many people have read my story! Make me feel loved with some more reviews! Thanks!**

~America's P.O.V.~

Marlee stepped out of my closet with a bright gray gown, holding it up to show me. She stepped closer, smiling.

"Your gown, Your Majesty," she said, handing it to me.

"Marlee, you know the rule," I grinned.

When we had gotten the dress on, I spun in front of the mirror, admiring the way the light reflected off the fabric.

"Oh, Marlee, it's beautiful!" I squealed. As I spoke, I realized there were footsteps sounding across the floor.

"And you, my love, are even more so," Maxon whispered as he approached me. I smiled shyly, playing with the skirt. He tilted my head up gently and placed a sweet kiss on my lips, before pulling away.

"We should probably head downstairs. The guests will be waiting," he mumbled. Taking his hand, I let Marlee place one last clip in my hair, and we leave the suite.

I could smell the food waiting inside the ballroom, but we had to wait for the announcement, and then the dance, before we could even touch the food. My stomach rumbled, and Maxon laughed. Suddenly, the doors in front of us open, and we hear our names.

"Please welcome our beloved rulers, King Maxon and Queen America Schreave!" I could have sworn my joy was the light in the ballroom, because I felt it radiating from my body. The orchestra struck up, and Maxon brought his free hand up to rest on my waist. He beamed as we stepped off to the beat of the music.

"You've gotten better at dancing in the last few years," he commented halfway through the song. I smirked.

"I couldn't very well embarrass us on our anniversary," I replied. Remembering a time just before the Selection ended, I stepped in closer. I put my head on his chest, and added, "It's also a lot easier without the rain." He took the hint.

I heard the murmuring around us, as people commented on us. But I didn't care. When Maxon rested his cheek on my head, the world around us disappeared. It was just me and my amazing husband, swaying to the fading tune.

And then my stomach growled again, snapping us out of our thoughts. Maxon chuckled, and led me across the dance floor. The food table sat ornately at the edge of the room, and we were there in no time.

When our plates were full of miscellaneous food items, we sat in the thrones at the front of the hall. I devoured my plate as ladylike as I could. I don't think it worked.

I had just thrown away our plates when Adele, Amberly's sister, found me on the way back to Maxon.

"Good evening, Queen America," she started, looking faintly distracted. "Is there any way we could talk in private?"

"Now?"

"Yes, please," she replied. "I brought someone with me on this trip who would love to see you again." I couldn't think of anyone I knew that lived in Honduragua, besides her family.

"I guess, but let me tell Maxon first. I'll be right back." I walked over to the thrones and whispered in his ear.

"Adele wants to speak in private. I'll only be a few minutes." He nodded, kissing my cheek, which was all he could reach at that angle.

Returning to Adele's side, I led her into the hallway and into a conference room. That was when I noticed the little girl trailing behind her.

"Adele?" I began as the door shut. "Who is this? I was expecting someone, I don't know, that I knew already." I glanced over at the little girl, who smiled up at me.

"That's alright, America. Adele was shocked to see me again, too. It's so lovely to see Maxon happy. Thank you."

I stepped away slowly. "Who are you? Why does my husband's happiness matter so much to you?" I was so confused.

"Queen America, I would like you to meet… Sorry, re-meet, Queen Amberly. My sister. Your mother-in-law." I think I might have fainted. Oops.

**Thanks again for reading my work! Reviews are appreciated, but not 100% required. Only 99%. Okay bye now.**


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